Uptown rules at Springfield's third annual All-Star basketball event

SPRINGFIELD - The Uptown teams ruled Friday night, as both the boys and girls won their respective games in the Playa's Ball Classic.

In the third annual All-Star basketball event hosted by the Springfield Boys and Girls Club, the Lady Uptown Playas defeated their Downtown counterparts, 75-57, while the boys Uptown Playas knocked off the Downtown squad, 91-74.

"This is just about coming out here and having some fun with these guys," said Phil Warrick, MVP of the boys game. "It's all about having some fun and playing some basketball."

In the girls game, Uptown used a balanced attack to overcome Bilquis Abdul-Quadir's 27 points and capture the win.

"It's fun to play in this game and to play with these girls, but it's even more fun when you can win the game," said Mackenzie Doyle, who scored nine points.

After a back-and-forth first quarter, Uptown opened up its first double-digit lead in the second behind an early 7-2 run, capped by a pair of buckets by Jenny Bell.

Abdul-Quadir, who had already won the pre-game three-point contest, continued raining threes to keep Downtown in the game, but it wasn't enough.

With a little more than 4:30 remaining in the third quarter, Uptown extended its advantage to 13 points and never looked back, even after a scary moment took two of its members out of the game.

With four seconds remaining, teammates Courtney Delrate and Brie Malone collided, knocking heads, and stayed on the floor for several minutes. Both left the floor under their own power, but did not return to the game.

After an Alexis Chappel three-pointer, Uptown extended its lead to 65-46 with 5:56 remaining and cruised to the victory.

In the boys game, Phil Warrick and Andre King combined for 42 of the Uptown team's points.

"It's kind of hard because you're not really sure about what everybody can do," Warrick said of playing with unfamiliar teammates. "Me and Andre were able to do what we did because we know what each other can do."